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Allegations of Voter Fraud in Venezuela

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    Allegations of voter fraud in Venezuela as Hugo Chavez declares re-election victory.

  • Duration 1:54
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-- out of Venezuela there are allegations of voter fraud is Hugo Chavez claims victory for a third term as president.

With 54% of the votes the margin of victory is the slimmest yet for Chavez.

But -- polls show Chavez losing and venezuelans posted pictures on Twitter of the military deploying tanks in the streets.

Steve Harrigan is live now in Miami.

Hi Steve so what kind of mandate does this victory give Chavez.

-- and Hugo Chavez won this election.

By ten points that's significant victory but certainly a lot less and he won by six years -- -- by 27 points.

The opposition says this was not a fair election they say you -- Travis.

-- state controlled television to put himself on TV for hours at a time and use billions of dollars in state controlled oil money to give away pensions and houses.

To buy votes but certainly it is clear he still has a core support of more than 50%.

Inside Venezuela especially -- as well as -- The big wild -- the big question for -- -- -- is will his health hold up for another six year term he's had fought cancer for the past year.

If it does not hold up it's clear there's no -- in his party that has the charisma.

To step in and replace them to be cancer about the full six years at the end.

Well what does this all mean for the United States.

On the one hand I think US policy makers see it as a positive that this was a relatively peaceful election.

Despite the fact that it was bitterly fought out there was more than 80% turnout in Venezuela.

People waited in line for hours and after was over the losers that he lost the election so they're not -- fighting it out on the streets.

A practice the US gets 10% of its oil from Venezuela that will likely continue but I think the real concern is over -- foreign policy.

We're gonna have an emboldened Hugo Chavez who's already been building alliance with Iran he's likely to step further in that direction after this victory -- and all right Steve Harrigan reporting live in my.